> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.orbs.network/v3/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.orbs.network/v3/orbs-vm/step-by-step-overview/docker-image-implementation.md).

# Docker Image Implementation

Any standard Docker image can be executed on the Orbs Network. The image must adhere to certain requirements to support efficient orchestration by the protocol.

## Dockerfile

The most important part of a Docker image is the [Dockerfile](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/builder/). Orbs VM supports the standard file format as interpreted by orchestrators like [Docker Swarm](https://docs.docker.com/engine/swarm/).

### Best practices

To make sure your image as efficient as possible, be sure to follow the [best practices for writing Dockerfiles](https://docs.docker.com/develop/develop-images/dockerfile_best-practices/). It is recommended to base your docker image on the official [Alpine Linux](https://hub.docker.com/_/alpine).

### Health check and status

To be a good citizen on the image orchestration protocol, your image must respond to [health check](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/builder/#healthcheck) queries. When an image fails to respond to health check with an appropriate exit code, it will be restarted. Images that fail to eventually start and reach a healthy state are at risk of non execution.

To support monitoring by the community, your service should maintain a local [`status.json`](/v3/orbs-vm/step-by-step-overview/docker-image-implementation/status-json.md) file that shares its current status with the outside world. The contents of this file are publicly available from every node running the service via the [network status page](https://status.orbs.network).

## Complete example

The following Dockerfile example creates a Node.js service based on Alpine Linux. The service uses a shell script that executes a Node.js script for performing the health check and updating `status.json` periodically.

```docker
FROM node:16-alpine

# standard working directory
WORKDIR /opt/orbs

# install your app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm install
COPY dist ./dist
CMD [ "npm", "start" ]

# install healthcheck based on status.json
COPY ./healthcheck.sh ./
COPY ./healthcheck.js ./
HEALTHCHECK CMD /opt/orbs/healthcheck.sh

# install entry point executable
COPY ./entrypoint.sh /opt/orbs/service
```


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.orbs.network/v3/orbs-vm/step-by-step-overview/docker-image-implementation.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.